Coffee Bender
Overall: 9.1/10 by 2 dudes
Dudes: 9.1/10
Trend: 9.1/10 over past 5 reviews 
Style: American Brown Ale
ABV: 5.50%
IBU: 45
Seasonal: Year Round
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9.2
Have Another:
- scot from Oswego, IL
- Date reviewed: Monday, August 23, 2010 at 20:53:30
- $2.49 for 16 oz. tap
- 856 beers rated with a 7.8 average rating
Date tasted: August 22, 2010
Color: Brown
Rating Breakdown
Aroma: 9 (25%)
Taste: 9 (25%)
Look: 10 (15%)
Drinkability: 9 (35%)
Overall: 9.2
Similar Beers Tasted
| Beer | Rating |
|---|---|
| 16th Anniversary | 8.1 |
| Bender | 8.0 |
| Bitch Creek Extra Special Bitter | 7.9 |
| Brown | 5.0 |
| Brown Angel | 6.7 |
| Cabin Fever | 5.0 |
9.1
Have Another:
- rich from Oswego, IL
- Date reviewed: Saturday, June 05, 2010 at 22:46:56
- $3.50 for 16 oz. tap
- 273 beers rated with a 7.8 average rating
A: Good look overall, but no hint of the pleasure to come. Ruby Brown is always an enticing look, and add a full figured foamy head for the total package.
S: The subtle scent of very rich malt with a enticing exotic, aromatic coffee suggests I'm about to taste something great.
T: The depth of pleasure in this brew is wildly expansive. First, I'm a huge coffee fan and this Guatemalan blend used here is outstanding. Add that rich taste to seven Belgian / English malts and you're now cooking with gas. I'm getting cocoa, obviously rich coffee, and caramel with hints of vanilla and cream. Not sticky nor too heavy, sort of like a beer frapachino.
D: This is the perfect reach into a heavier set than the normal summer wheat, drinking it on a humid, stormy summer night on the prairie. Surly is a excellent regional brewery who's reputation is only limited because of it's narrow distribution band. I stuffed (4) four-packs of 16oz cans in my suitcase on a recent trip to Minneapolis. My regret is that I didn't have a bigger suitcase. These folks know how to make great brews and they use a high grade of ingredients to match their skills. Seek out Surly, brews not attitude.
Date tasted: June 05, 2010
Color: Ruby Brown
Rating Breakdown
Aroma: 9 (25%)
Taste: 10 (25%)
Look: 8 (15%)
Drinkability: 9 (35%)
Overall: 9.1
Similar Beers Tasted
| Beer | Rating |
|---|---|
| Bitch Creek Extra Special Bitter | 7.9 |
| Cabin Fever | 6.0 |
| Good Humans | 8.0 |
| India Brown Ale | 7.0 |
| Lil' Bandit Brown Ale | 4.8 |
| Naughty Nancy's Nut Brown Ale | 7.8 |
Spread the Word
Cost Breakdown
$3.00, 2 servings, 16 oz. taps
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Beer Swapping
Malts
Seven Malts
Hops
Columbus, Williamette
Yeast
English Ale
Note: my 500th review.
Pours clear with ample mocha colored foam. Retention is quite good with lacing leaving behind some nice webs.
Aroma is big on the coffee and such a pleasant coffee scent. Malts are the back bone to the beer: roasted, coffee, dark chocolate, and even some bread.
Taste follows the aroma to a 't.' The coffee is more of the old fashioned from Grandma's kitchen and that's the type I really like.
A medium bodied beer with ample carbonation to round out the quality taste.
Another quality Surly offering. I put this right behind Furious in terms of my favorite beers by them. I can't really have more than one at a time but I do keep coming back for more. Enjoy!